Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that Russia’s statements to reduce operations around Kyiv were evidence that it had lost the initiative.
The British defense considered that the setbacks of the Russian army in its attacks once morest Kyiv meant its failure to encircle the capital.
She added that the Russian army is pushing its military capabilities to Donetsk and Lugansk at the expense of the north.
Russia’s chief negotiator in talks with Ukraine had said Tuesday thatHe promised his country to reduce military operations around Kyiv In northern Ukraine, it does not constitute a ceasefire.
Vladimir Medinsky said in an interview with the Russian “TASS” news agency: “This is not a ceasefire, but this is what we aspire to, a gradual de-escalation of the conflict, at least on those fronts.”
Vladimir Medinsky
This comes following the Russian delegation to the Istanbul talks announced on Tuesday that Moscow would “dramatically” reduce its military activity in northern Ukraine, including the areas near Kyiv. After “useful” talks with the Ukrainian delegation.
“Since talks on preparing an agreement on Ukraine’s neutral and nuclear-free status have moved to a practical stage… a decision was made to radically reduce military activity in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions,” said Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.
He noted that the goal is to “increase mutual trust and create the necessary conditions for further negotiations.”
From the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations today in Turkey
In turn, stated Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Tuesday that the “liberation of Donbass” in eastern Ukraine has now become the main objective of the Moscow military operation.
Shoigu held a meeting with senior military officials and said, “In general, the main tasks of the first phase of the operation have been completed.”
“The combat capability of the Ukrainian armed forces has significantly decreased, which makes it possible to focus the main attention and main efforts on achieving the main goal, the liberation of Donbass,” he added.
This decision is the first major concession made by the Russians since the start of its military operation in Ukraine more than a month ago.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army had said earlier that it had observed Russian withdrawals from areas around Kyiv and Chernihiv.